Rs 360 lakh penalties slapped on polluters since 2020 but Ghaziabad collected only 27%

The UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has imposed fines of Rs 359.6 lakh on violators of anti-pollution measures in Ghaziabad, but the administration has only collected 27% of the amount. In contrast, Noida has collected about 60% of the fines. Environmentalists argue that poor enforcement renders fines ineffective. The UPPCB recommends the fine amount, but it is the responsibility of the administration to collect the penalty. Ghaziabad is still to recover Rs 261.2 lakh, while Noida has to collect Rs 409.6 lakh. The UPPCB often passes the responsibility of collecting fines to the district administrations.